Daughter of a Legend
by RyverLoire
Summary: BEING REWRITTEN! She is his daughter. The most important thing he has. She looks, and sounds like her mother but look into her blue eyes and her father is looking back at you, but how much is she like her mother? What does her destiny have for her.
1. Default Chapter

Summary: This is just the Epilogue, so don't get you're hopes up thinking that this is the greatest thing. Ummm this Chapter is just Intro so you can see the kind of relationship between Squall and his daughter, it'll pay off I promise!

Disclaimer: The day I own Final Fantasy is the day Final Fantasy goes down the drain! I would ruin it, it would become a laughing stock in the gaming world! so no i do not own the characters in this story save Bara so please don't sue and please don't steal Bara! She's been in my head since '99!

Squall Leonhart looked at the little hands that were messing with his hair. Small and pale, long fingers despite the actual size of them. Like her mother's. How was this child his? He'd asked himself the same question almost everyday for the past four and a half years. And every time he came to the same conclusion: it's in her eyes.

Every inch of her screamed that she was Rinoa's daughter, the color of her hair, the shape of her face, even her voice sounded like her mother's. But her eyes, they were his. Of course there were some days that he thought this child had no father, that Rinoa had been blessed with a child and it was chance by fate he was there the day she was born. Because how could such a perfect child, come from him?

Rinoa would call him foolish for thinking this way, and all she had to do was say "Bara the symbol of love that is between us," and Squall wouldn't wounder if Bara was his or not anymore.

"There, Papa! Done!" the little girl stepped back, her sky blue dress reflecting in her eyes. Squall ran and hand through his hair, and found it uneven and scattered with braids, He couldn't hold in his laugh as she swooped the little girl in his arms, "And what is _this_!" he laughed tugging on one of the braids.

Bara giggled, "Now you're pretty!"

"Well, Papa's got to go to work soon. He can't go looking like this."

Little Bara put her hands on Squall's shoulders and gave him a peck on his cheek, "Yes he can. 'Cause I'll cry if he doesn't." She squirmed out of her dad's arms and ran to her closet. She threw open the doors and began rummaging through it.

Still laughing, Squall stood to his feet and walked over to the spot where his little one had disappeared into the mess that was also called her closet. He went to lean over the pile of toys and mess when she popped out suddenly.

"FOUND IT!" Squall jumped back, and Bara lunged at him again.

Somehow she manged to knock her father's balance off and he crashed to floor. The little five year old the shoved a black hat at him, still beaming and glowing with laughter.

"Wear this! That way you can still be pretty." Smile, even that sweet smile looked like her mother's. Squall took the hat and upon closer examination discovered that the hat was his. Without questioning it, Squall took the hat from Bara and placed it on his head.

"How do I look?" he asked spreading his arms wide and giving his kindest smile.

"You look great Squall"

Squall looked into the at the door where Rinoa was standing and hiding her mouth behind her hand.

"You would find it amusing," Squall pushed himself to his feet and picked Bara up in his arms, who simply yawned and leaned against her father, ready to go to sleep again.

AN: just so everyone knows, the reason why Squall talks in third person is because that's how my dad has always talked about himself. But he only does it to me and when he's not being serious. Squall reminds me a lot of my dad. I've always been treated differently because I'm his Lil girl! It's even on his tattoo!

So this chapter is dedicated to my Daddy. LOVE YOU DADDY!


	2. Nightmares and comforts

Summary:

Squall has become all but a living legend for defeating the Sorceress Ultimecia. There are few who know the TRUE story of what happened. They know it was not Squall alone who defeated the Sorceress, they also know there was another Sorceress with them when the battle was won.

Squall is surprised to say he has friends, true friends that would stand by his side until the world ended. He never imagined he would fall in love, or have a daughter, but it has all happened. Friends, love, and family.

He loves his daughter, she is his jewel, the only thing that can outshine her mother's brightness. He never wanted her to become involved in fighting, but the question is asked, just how much is she like her mother really?

A:N/ Remember I DON'T OWN FINAL FANTASY, and don't steal Bara! If you steal her I will... I'll throw this Keyblade at you:holds up a plastic home-made keyblade:. Also I'm sorry that it's been so long since I posted, forgive me! Enjoy the chapter

**THE DAUGHTER OF A LEGEND**

**CHAPTER ONE:**

**NIGHTMARES AND COMFORTS**

Squall had left for Garden soon as he put Bara to bed again. Rinoa was left alone, until Bara wok up from her nap. Rinoa took into recount, no she wasn't alone, Angelo was around.The old dog that she had for most of her life, the poor thing was growing old. The family life made it so there were no more 'adventures' to take with Angelo, if he could even handle it. Rinoa had something more important than that now, she had a child.

Squall. Just the thought of him made her feel like she was seventeen again.

As she thought on it; Squall was almost two sided. When he was home, Squall was as open as any man, he played with his daughter, laughed, smiled, joked. At home Squall was like any regular person. But any where else, he was that cold solider on the battle field, that person who once told her he was afraid to let anyone get close to him. Times like those Squall the Lion was also Squall the Hurtful.

She preferred him at home. He was sweeter then. Times like those he would come home with a solitary rose, bright and bold as red can be, and the sweetest scent man could find.

Rinoa sighed, it would be some time before Bara woke up. So she went into the small personal library, oh just one of the befits of having Squall has the main support; a personal library. Rinoa took down a new book and sat down in her reading chair. This was a good way to pass the time. Bara took power naps, she would sleep for and hour, two are most, and be up all day long.

Bara woke up and found herself surrounded by a landscape she'd never seen before. A penisula, tall white walls to her thirty-seven inches in height. There was a lighthouse glowing in the background, its light ever circling, it fascinated her. The ground was hard, sharp stones that stung the undersides of her feet.

She was cold in her night clothes, and frightened. How did she end up here? "Papa?" _Papa will rescue me, Papa always saves me._

Frantically she began running around, bare footed, rocks cutting and slicing their way into the soft undersides of her feet. She was crying in a loud and echoing voice, screaming for her father. Small streams of tears falling out of her eyes, "PAPA! Where are you! I'm calling you where are you, Papa!" she covered her face with her hands and fell to her knees.

Lighting sounded and Bara jumped. Cold rain began to fall down suddenly and appearing seemingly out of no where there was a boy, barley older then herself. He was staring away from the pretty lighthouse and out to where she was.

He was wearing an orange shirt that had a black stripe across his center and black pants. his hair was a dark brown or black hair , Bara couldn't tell because or the rain, and fair skin. She couldn't see his face from the distance, but something about the air around him seem all too familiar.

"Sis, did you leave me too?" the boy wiped his eyes on his arm, though due to the rain, it did no good. He looked from the sky down to his feet and mumbled something.

The little boy was about to go inside when he noticed Bara huddling in her wet nightgown out in that rain.

"What are you doing out there?" he called to her.

"I'm looking for my Papa!" Bara was still crying, but her tears were lessening.

The little boy started walking out to her, "You came to an orphanage. We don't have patents here, only Matron," by now the boy was right in front of her and Bara saw him out stretch his hand, "Come inside with me."

Bara looked at him and for a mere second she felt safe. Then she didn't, "No. If I call loud enough my Papa will come running!" fresh tears fell to mingle with the rain water.

"There aren't any parents here. We're all alone," the boy said again.

Bara began to scream, she had to wake from this nightmare. She had too!

"Bara, wake up."

Bara rolled her head then opened her eyes. Rinoa was standing over her, soft, comforting, her beloved mother.

"Mummy!" Bara sat up and hug her mother around the neck.

Rinoa took her daughter in her arms, glad that there was nothing wrong with her. She had rushed out of her book when she heard her only daughter cry out in her sleep.

All this worry related back to what she had been thinking before, there were down-sides too. Squall was looked up to by many but for every person who saw him as a mentor or a leader, there were other who believed him to be a threat.

Squall Leonhart, the leader and commander of SeeD, with the new Sorceress of the Age. Both Squall and Rinoa sometimes feared for their daughter's life. Any one who wanted Squall to listen to them would need only to take his daughter, the most valuable thing money could not buy. That was only one reason why they were not married, it could bring attention to Bara.

When Rinoa heard the scream, first instinct said the child was endanger.

"Mummy, there was... it was cold, and raining, and the stones hurt my feet," Bara began was once she was sure she wasn't still dreaming, "I called for Papa, but he didn't come, I felt so only, and there was a boy there who felt the same way."

"Shh, it was only a dream, a bad dream baby," Rinoa knew Bara would be to frightened to go back to sleep so she carried the small girl out of her room.

Bara's hand balled into the fabric of her mother's shirt and she laid her wide-eyed head down on Rinoa's shoulder. She tried to keep her eyes from closing, even blinking. _I'm not an orphan. Mama loves me, and Papa loves me. They wouldn't let me be alone. _

Around the corner an old red and brown collie laid on his pillow, not sleeping, just resting his old tiered form.

"Anglio!" Bara squirmed down to the floor and all but threw herself onto on the old dog. Anglio lifted his head and licked Bara's face in affection the laid back down.

Rinoa watched the girl grab fist-fulls of fur, pull on the hairs slightly, then let go and watch the hair fall back into place. Rinoa squatted next to her daughter and put a hand on her back.

"Do you want to tell me about your dream? It had to have been scary, you were screaming," Rinoa rubbed Bara's back as she spoke to her, "I could always take you to the Garden myself and you can talk to Papa there."

Bara stopped playing with Anglio's hair and turned her blue spheres to her mother's brown ones. Bara only nodded. She had never been to her father's work place. Bara often wondered why her father worked in a garden. Why would he need to plant flowers?

"Well, come then, you can't go in your night clothes," Rinoa stood up and Bara followed suit.

Bara was dressed in simple pants and a shirt with angel wings on the chest, and her travels coat. She was scratching the space between Angelio's ears when her mother came out dressed in her blue duster, black tank top and shorts.

_Well the Garden is stationed at Fishermen's Horizon for the day so it would not take that long to take a train, trains are always easier then driving._

Rinoa bent down and gave Angelio a pat goodbye, and headed out the door with Bara's hand in hers.

Rinoa walked with Bara to the station in Timber and paid for her ticket, Bara was still a free ride. Once Rinoa had chosen her compartment Bara started to run around. shaking her head Rinoa just sat down and watched her daughter play.

Aloud Rinoa said, "With that much energy, she reminds me of Zell." _I wonder what happened to him._ Zell Dincht had disappeared while on a SeeD mission. Several teams had been sent on searches for the lost SeeD, but there was no word of him.

"Zell never wanted to go on that mission," Rinoa mumbled, "he was frightened."

"Mommy! How much longer?" Bara whinnied

"It'll be at least another hour or two," Bara's shoulders drooped and her she hung her head. _I get a ticket to the fastest train and still it's not enough._ Rinoa brought the heal of her hand to her forehead, a sign of frustration.

"Come here Bara and I'll tell you a story," Bara ran over. The little girl never missed a story, "Have I ever told the story of the Sorceress and the SeeD?" Bara shook her head, "Well it starts with a young man, who had just become a SeeD, your father is a SeeD just like our hero. Every year there is a celebration for the cadets who passed the SeeD exam, our new SeeD was there, along with a Sorceress..." Rinoa began to tell the story, the lost story of the Hero who defeated the sorceress of the future.

"And after the battle with the evil sorceress, our good sorceress inherited her powers, but she fell into a deep sleep and the hero was deeply saddened-"

"Fisherman's Horizon Station" the woman on the intercom system cut off, "Fisherman's Horizon Station"

"Well we're here," Rinoa said with a smile.

"No mommy! You have to finish the story!"

"You can ask your father too, he knows the other half of the story best, come on we have to go," defeated Bara took her mother's hand and got off the train. Before they got off the train Rinoa casted a spell on Bara, to hide her from unfriendly eyes. _Her safety is first._

Some town's men where whispering, others pointing. Rinoa looked at them, nodded and waved to some. It was something Rinoa had grown used to. There were people who excepted the sorceresses and others who did not. They're whispers meant nothing, and no one could touch her so long as her knight was alive.

Rinoa led Bara to the lift and the two woman got on with no more interactions. As they walked Bara could only wonder when she would get to know more of the story.

_Momma called it the Sorceress and the seed. Papa is a seed, does that mean he will grow into a tree?_ Bara watched her feet as her thoughts wondered... _I want to know more._

"Bara, look at the Garden."

_About the seeds and sorceresses, _Bara turned her head upwards at her mother's words. It was a sight she never knew could exist. Smooth rounded surfaces, colored green, blue, and gold. There were disks turning underneath it as if generating the power to lift the large facility. And it was glowing!

"We can find Papa in here?"

There were several cadets on the second floor corridor and they all parted the way for the two who entered. Rinoa's spell hand worn off and some female students smiled and waved to the little girl.

"She's so cute!"

"I wounder if she's the Sorceress daughter or and orphan."

"She's Rinoa's, you can see it in her face."

Squall stood by the full length window that covered the back wall of his office, arms crossed and folded across his chest. In a few minutes he would be needed down stairs in the training center. He still wore the hat Bara had put on his head that morning and the braids were just barley visible. He hated days when they left port. The months he would have to leave his family behind.

He reached into the pocket on the front of his jacket and with drew a picture of Rinoa, Bara, Ellone, and the man he hardly knew, Leguna. His little girl. Squall ran his thumb over the image of his daughter. _It hasn't been a day and I already miss you my dear one, my little rose._

A knock at his door had him shoving the picture back in its place, "Its open."

Little Bara pushed open the door, and ran inside, "Papa! We found you!"

Squall barely had time to register before Bara wrapped her arms around his legs. Holding him tightly, "Bara!"

Squall looked around and found Rinoa walking in as well, "Here's a surprise," he couldn't be the him that he could be with Bara so close. _The best surprise in the world..._

For those who don't remember I'll list any old characters, i.e. the one from the game down at the bottom of the chapter.

FH: just the abbreviation for Fisherman's Horizon


	3. Birth of a Fighter

a.n: WOW thanks for the reviews! That helps motivate me so much. Oh I can't wait till Bara gets older in this fic! OH! i wanted to also shout out to all of you Zell fans, Zell is in this story, and you will find out more as to what happened to him as time going on. I promise so please don't kill me, i do love Zell also so don't try to kill me for something i haven't explained yet.

**FINAL FANTASY VIII**

**DAUGHTER OF A LEGEND:**

**CHAPTER TWO**

**BIRTH OF A FIGHTER**

Squall picked Bara up in his arms and went to Rinoa and hugged both women, "You know, we aren't passing Timber for weeks... you're stuck here," Squall whispered to Rinoa.

"If I'm to be held prisoner by my own Knight..." Rinoa began, but stopped when Bara was watching her parents closely.

Squall chuckled, and rubbed his nose to Bara's, "Is mommy talking about _things _again?"

Bara shook a finger at her mother with a smile on her face, and a wrinckled nose, "Baaad mommy!"

Rinoa pulled away, laughing, "Don't you turn my own daughter on me, _Knight_!"

Squall laughed, "We won't try that one. But we are headed to Estar... Edea said there was something there that needed to be handled," Squall spoke in a far off voice.

"Well it will be good to see Laguna and the others again," Rinoa commented. Her attention turned to the quite girl who was playing with the fur of Squall's jacket, "Bara, wasn't there something you wanted to tell you're father?" Squall looked at Bara with questioning eyes.

"Not now mommy. Daddy can you tell me the rest of the story? The Sorceress and the seed? What happened after she went to sleep? What did the Hero do?"

Squall looked at her then at Rinoa who smiled, "She wants to know what happened to the Hero in black and the Sorceress."

"Has your mother been telling you that faerie tale?" Squall asked.

"Yes, and she said you could finish the story!" Squall smiled and kissed Bara on the top of the head. Squall sat down in his chair with Bara in his lap and Rinoa left for the library.

"The Hero," Squall began, trying to find a way to describe what happened so his daughter could understand, "The Hero was very sad, my dear one. He thought that life could not go on without his beloved Sorceress. But there was no one to help on their ship, so at the next dock, the hero carried the sorceress for many long miles. And on that journey he learned he was changing... all for the good," Squall was lost in his own memory, and Bara was entranced in the story.

"COMMANDER! There is a problem in the Main Hall!" Zu on the intercom shouted, and Squall jumped to his feet, careful of Bara. He looked out the window and just barely caught the light blue duster and raven hair. Several SeeDs had rushed Rinoa on her way to the library.

"Bara stay here!" Squall yelled as he ran to the door and grabbed his gunblade as he went. Bara nodded at her father though she could already hear the elevator going down.

Bara went to the window. She was chewing slightly on her thumb, as she searched for what made her father leave. Then she saw the scuffle, and recognized the blue fabrics rustling and the ivory skin. Her mouth fell open, and her fists balled.

There was a fire in her stomach that she had never felt before. She looked around for an escape and found none.

_Call me,_ Bara spun around, looking for the voice, _Call my name, and I will answer. _There was a warmth at her neck, were the ring of her family lay, _I'm here already..._

"I know you are..." Bara whispered. She closed her eyes and spread her arms, and the glass wall in front of her shattered.

Squall was at the Training Centre gate when the glass broke. Shards flying in all directions. There were bypassing SeeDs who were hit, and the group that surround Rinoa looked up but before their attention went up towards the ceiling, Squall unleashed a Fira spell from his out stretched hand.

The students had cast reflect on themselves which explained why Rinoa wasn't getting herself safe. In a quick motion Squall cast his own reflect on both himself and Rinoa simultaneously.

"Leave her alone!" Squall yelled just as a spell hit himself and bounced back to the SeeD she had cast on the Commander. He still wasn't quite there, so many crowds had shown up, Rinoa was on the ground... he needed to get to her.

"Ultima... Shock... WAVE!" every student in the hall was blown back, and the SeeDs in-question flew up into the air. Rinoa was winded but not badly hurt, but her head was turned up towards. Squall neared her, and pulled her into his arms, and looked up to the other SeeDs.

"You have attacked my mother," the seven SeeDs were shocked at what they saw. A small girl, who radiated red and black pulsing waves was flying in front of them. She was just like the Sorceress, but she had six large wings, all flapping in different directions.

"SQUALL! THAT'S BARA!" Rinoa's hand gripped painfully on his arm and she was pointing up at her daughter, "Squall, she's flying. My daughter doesn't fly!"

The inside of the Garden went dark and small white lights started flashing around the SeeDs. The four year old youth was casting a high level magic attack on the floating SeeDs.

"There's nothing wrong with the SeeDs. Little Bara ran out of energy before she was able to do what ever she was going to do..." the old Dr. Kadowaki said as she stripped off the gloves she was using, "Listen Squall, you're going to Estar... Take Bara with you." Squall and Dr. Kadowaki were outside of the privet room where Rinoa sat on the bed running her hand down the side of her daughter's face.

"Why?" Squall asked glancing into the room.

"Let Odine run a test or two. He's too afraid of you to want to do too much to her. If he wants to run too many tests, you can put our foot down and he would listen. But let him find out how much of her mother she has in her," the old woman had never told Squall something she believed would hurt him, but Squall just didn't want to hand his daughter over to that mad man.

"I don't want to," Squall answered honestly. He looked into the doctor's brown eyes.

"Squall, that was amazing what we saw today. If that was just a GF, I wouldn't worry, but..." the woman looked down for a second, "Bara is only four years old. She's young... you and her mother look after her. There's no way she could have junctioned a GF. Just get a simple test run."

Squall nodded, as much as he hated it, he would have to do it. If she was a sorceress they wouldn't take her away, but maybe they could use one of the old doctor's charms to help keep her powers in check.

Squall went into the small room and closed the curtain that shut off the room. Rinoa was sitting on the bed watching her daughter when Squall walked in.

"Did she wake up yet?" it was a simple, small question. Something that he could say and not have the fear show.

"No, but I think she just used all her energy... she'll be fine when she wakes up," Rinoa was visibly shaking but her voice didn't portray the fear that was in both of their hearts.

Squall moved to the back of the room and sat on the stood that was jammed into the corner, "Kadowaki wants Odine to run a test on her..." Squall broke out, "She wants to just make sure that-"

"Why? I can already tell. Bara has inherited my sorceress powers," Rinoa stopped looking at her daughter and turned dark brown eyes on Squall, "My daughter will not be hunted."

"I won't let her be," Squall answer truthfully.

"What can you do? Sorceresses are the enemy in this world... there is no place for them," Rinoa's hands were shaking more now as she looked into the face of her beloved.

Squall thought for a moment, "I'll make her a SeeD. If she knows how to fight like us, then she can protect herself from us," Squall leaned down and kissed Bara's cheek, "No one will hurt her."

Bara opened her eyes then and yawned. Squall's emmotions took over him as her grabbed in daughter and held her close, _I will protect you. You and your mother are mine to protect... forever._

A/N: I'm sorry it's so short, But that's all that I can write for this chapter. I promise you will get to read a better chapter in chapter Three. If you want to know what's up with the story just check out my BIO. I'll keep it posted and up to date.


	4. His mother, Her Grandfather

Look everyone I post another chapter very soon!

ok now as a mention to my reviews 1: I love you guys! you make me so happy. And I promise that you will get longer chapters in the future... my chapters are suckly SHORT! shoots herself comes back to life ANYWAY to my wonderfuls:

**MafGoldenHeart**: Bara is going to be greatly special later on. Especially once she gets into her classes. She's going to meet other classmates... and jerks... that will show every side of Squall. For now on Squall will mostly call Bara stuff like "my Little One," and "Small Rose," because if you know any Japanese Bara means Rose. Oh and OH MY GOD I'm on your favorites list! dies

**Dark Angels: **oooo! "gush" do you like the story so far? I hope you stay with me throughout the whole story... It's going to be long. prays she become a popular Fanfic writer

**vilg oui**: Oh my, look! I'm on your Favorites too! I'm loved! dances around the room with you like a maniac wee! I love all my reviewers SO much! hugs all nine reviewers XD

**Final Fantasy VIII:**

**Daughter of a Legend**

**Chapter Three**

**His Mother, Her Grandfather**

_Why did Papa hold me like that? He felt different. _Bara climbed out of the bed she and her mother were in, not disturbing Rinoa.

Rinoa and Bara had been given special rooms, given to instructors. It was much larger than a canidate's dorm, and not much bigger than a SeeD's. There was a window on one side and under it sat a large oak chest. other than the desk and bed the room was very under furnished.

Bara walked bare-footed to the desk. The oak was warm, almost alive, under her finger tips. Bara began to image a tree, large, tall, proud, and living, alone in a forest inhabited by itself only.

As the vision became more and more clear in her small mind, the polished wood beneath her hand began to move. It was as though roots were rippling away from her hand. Small branches with full green leaves sprouted. The dead wood of the desk came back to life the more Bara dreamed of it.

Rinoa reached over in her sleep to check on her daughter and found air and sheets, "Bara?" she asked sleepily. When Rinoa realized what was going on she screamed.

Bara moved her hand away and looked at her mother, "Mommy?"

There were tears in Rinoa's eyes and she grabbed Bara and held her tight._ I'm so sorry my baby,_ she thought, _I'm so sorry._

Rinoa looked over Bara's shoulder and saw the desk reform itself back into a deck and not a tree, that was one relief tonight...

The next morning was uneventful as the small family left the Garden and boarded the Ragnarok. Squall had set the ship to autopilot and soon the sleek ship soared off to Esthar.

The Ragnarok docked and Squall, Rinoa and Bara exited the ship. Outside the station Kiros stood with his arms crossed, his hair was turning white and there were more wrinkles on that face then the last time Squall had seen him.

"Hello Squall. Rinoa," Kiros used her real name and not the title most civilians used, "And who is this little one?" Kiros squatted down and looked at Bara in the eye. Bara blushed and hid behind Squall's leg.

"She's my daughter, Bara," Squall answered.

"Yeah, there are those eyes... just like her dad," Bara recginized the complement and giggled.

Kiros stood up and looked at the two older kids before him. It was time the _family_ sat down and talked. Ellone and himself, and even Ward, had kept it too long to themselves. Telling his best friend, the commander of SeeD and the young sorceress now would be the best thing. He began to lead the family towards the closest lift.

"Rinoa, forgive me for asking, but your last name is Heartilly, correct?"

"It is," Rinoa answered, quite confused at all the mystery, "Is there something wrong?"

"No. There's nothing wrong," Kiros sat on the transporter and Squall and Rinoa followed suit, Squall had Bara in his lap, "Did you know Laguna... knew your mother?"

Bara giggled and shyly looked at Kiros over her father's shoulder, Kiros smiled a wrinkled smile and waved with the tips of his fingers, and sent the small girl hiding behind her father for a few seconds before she was looking at him again.

"No... does this have something to do with you calling us here?"

Kiros sighed, "Yes. And no... All of this should have been settled years ago when the six of you saved our world. But with all the celebrations... with Ellone returning to Laguna. We were side tracked and turned upside down." Kiros shook his head and fell into silence.

They were not taken to the presidential residence, but to another side of the palace. The trip there was of light talk and peek-a-boo games with the young Bara.

"I think she likes you, Kiros."

Kiros looked at Rinoa, "I was never near that many children. Just Ellone who seemed to have adopted me as her Uncle, Ward too."

"Ellone is a good woman. She only saw the good in people as a child, even now she hasn't changed much," Squall started once everyone had gotten off the transporter. Bara had decided to walk instead of being carried.

"Yeah, I agree with you there. Come on, he's this way," Kiros lead the way, with Bara walking beside him trying to look grown up by walking straight, and for the best part on herself, walking tall. Kiros smiled. Laguna would be happy. In ways _she_ was still alive, and his family was larger than he knew.

"It's this door," Kiros stopped at a blue door. _It's now or it's never Kiros Seagill._ The door slid open and and they saw Laguna and Ellone sitting down on a couch in complete silence.

Bara saw Ellone and ran to her, "Ellone!" the older woman smiled and swooped the girl up into her arms. Squall noticed there was a longing look in Laguna's eye as he watched Ellone hold the small girl.

Laguna had grown older, there were more gray hairs in his head and a couple wrinkles at the corners of his mouth. Other wise he was the same, just today very quite.

Ellone had sat Bara down next to the president and was walking over to Squall and Rinoa, "I'm glad you came," she said as she hugged Squall then Rinoa, "Come over here and sit down. There are many thing we need to talk about."

"Hi," Bara said cheerfully.

Laguna gave a worn smile, like one who is trying to hold up when his world has crashed in on him, "Hello."

"I'm Bara, who are you?" Bara pulled up her feet and was now sitting cross-legged, and facing the new man.

_Your grandfather_, Laguna wanted to say. He wanted to pick up the child before him and hold her, to love the child as he would have his own son... had the option not been taken from him, "I'm Laguna... Loire. I'm a friend of your dad's."

"Squall, I've been holding onto something of yours for a while," Ellone said as she picked up a worn looking envelope, "It's from... you're mother wrote while she was still pregnant with you," Squall looked at her baffled, ans Rinoa took hold of his hand as Ellone handed him the letter, "I never read it... but, I'm sorry I kept this from you for so many years, twenty-four years."

Squall took the gentle piece of paper in his hands, and turned it over. There was a wax seal and an impression, "That's Griver... from my ring," his voice was soft, and far away.

Squall carefully tore the envelope. Did he want to read this? Did he want to know what was on the inside? He looked to Rinoa how nodded and to his daughter on the other couch across from him. She was still playing fifty questions with Laguna, and oddly enough, he was playing along with her.

There was only a single sheet of paper inside, neatly folded and written in a weak hand:

_To my son Squall. I know I will not live to watch you grow, for even now I am too weak to write. There are no words for me to tell you how much I love you. You were born of nothing more than love and kindness. My only prayer is that what ever higher being above us bring you and your father come together. _

_He is a good man, no matter what the villagers say about him. He washed up on our shores and I took care of him. Your sister Ellone loves him, and that is were he is now. Out trying to find her, to bring back our daughter, and come back to me..._

Squall knew then... he knew who his father was and what had happened. His eyes skimmed down to the bottom on the page to read his mother's signature, "Raine Loire," he didn't mean to read it aloud, but it helped it seem more real.

The mention of his late wife's name brought him away from the little girl. Laguna and Bara both fell silent, even though she was very young, Laguna could see his granddaughter was going to be mature, like her father.

"Sis- Ellone," Squall began, Rinoa looked at him and she could see tears beining, but when he blinked they were gone, "Why didn't you ever tell me?" all three women in the room jumped. Bara actually buried her face in Laguna's shoulder.

"Squall-" Laguna said quietly, putting a protective arm around the child.

"No, don't you-" Squall was losing his temper, too many things were happening in his life at once. Just the day before Rinoa was attacked, and he learned his daughter was a sorceress, now all this.

"Squall, don't you yell with your daughter in the room," Laguna spoke with authority that he only used once in a while, "This was a shock to me also..." he ran his hand through Bara's hair, the poor child was trembling, "You... don't know the emotions I felt. I have... always hated myself... I never returned to her. The whole village said I was the cause of Raine's death, and in turn I lost a child too," Laguna felt Bara cling to him.

"Squall, everyone from the village told me not to tell you. I wanted to fix it remember? I sent you back to try and fix this," Ellone didn't speak very load and she had her hands clasped together, her eyes downcast, "You must understand I wanted you to know your father."

Squall's response was to get up and walk out of the room. There were no emotion in the way hr walked away. Rinoa turned her head away from him just as he disappeared out of the door. Her intentions were towards Bara, who was still curled next to Laguna.

"Laguna, Ellone, can go and talk to him? This is a privet manner for you three," Rinoa was kneeling on the floor next to Bara. When Laguna tried to do as Rinoa had asked, Bara wouldn't let go of him.

"Bara, I have to go," Bara's head shook. Laguna looked at her kneeling mother and she only shook her head as well. Sighing Laguna stood up with Bara, "Do you mind if she comes with me?" Laguna asked.

Rinoa spoke in a soft voice, she was just as shocked as Squall was, "You are her grandfather," she stood and kissed the top of Bara's head, "I think she already knew that though..." the last part Rinoa said more to herself then to Laguna.

Ellone had already left the room and was going down the hall the the black figure who was still walking away when Laguna got out of the door.

Bara looked in front her and saw what Laguna saw, "Papa!" up ahead Squall stopped, and turned around. Ellone reached him first, breathless, and she just stood there looking at him.

If there were words spoken in the time it took Laguna to reach his son and daughter, he didn't hear it. Bara still clung desperately to Laguna but she looked from her father to Ellone, to Laguna. She was young, and small, but she knew something was happening.

For the first time since she was born, Squall did not want to hold his daughter. He took the comfort of allowing Laguna to hold her and for him to lean against the wall. So many thoughts in his head. That time he stumbled into Whinhill, he went into the pub, he saw Raine, behind the bar. No, it wasn't Raine, it was fur ghost. She had smiled at him. Then there was his ring, he'd had it since he was younger, and his name Leonhart. Villagers had mumbled that he looked like _Leonhart_. He never knew Raine's maiden name. _"What... was she like?"_

Squall said after a long moment of silence, "Ellone, what was our mother like?" deep clear blue eyes locked with Ellone's.

It was a while before Ellone said anything, she seemed lost in her memories. "She was a good woman," both of the siblings looked at Laguna, who broke the silence, "At first, she was cold to me..." Laguna adjusted Bara on his hip and looked at Squall, his son, "But with neighbors like she had, I didn't see why she won't," he gave a small chuckle, "I don't even remember when she started warming up to me. It was long after I could walk again that's for sure."

"It was the first time you cleared the town square for me. The sun was bright and I wanted to play," Ellone answered, "Laguna went next door to get his gun. Only just getting off the crutches... he must have stayed out there for hours-"

"It wasn't that long. You just wanted to go play," Laguna cut off.

"But you still made it safe for me to play. And you stayed out there all day, just to make sure that no more monsters came out. Raine was... speechless. You were a soldier, and you killed people and things, but you protected me. Raine, mom, started to think of you as a normal human." Laguna had his eyes closed as he remembered the old times, and little Bara started to fall asleep, something she never did for a stranger.

"Mom, she dreamed of you long before you were born, Squall. She always saw you... even sometimes she would talk to you, imagining you there with her. Most of her conversations were about Laguna though. "What do you think of Laguna?' 'Yes, I like him too, maybe he'll stay with us after he's better,' and 'Do you think he would make a good father too?'" a tear rolled down Ellone's cheek, "When I went back to Whinhill and you had already been born, Laguna didn't come back with me. Raine cried for the longest time... crying herself to sleep, crying when she was awake. She began to think Laguna was dead, and I think she died of grief.

"But there is no doubt that she loved you Squall. You meant more to her then life even before she had met Laguna. She used to talk all the time of her 'rain over water'. She gave you her ring so you would possibly remember her."

There was strong silence that none of them dared to brake. Ellone was crying at the memory of the second mother she lost, Laguna was concetrating on his happy days with his late wife, and Squall was letting it all sink in. The rustle of fabrics and the gentle breathing of Bara's deep sleep was all that was heard.

In a swift movement gifted only to SeeDs, Squall pushed him self off the wall he was leaning against without a sound. He extended a hand to the president, "I'm sorry," it was short and not covering everything that he wanted to say, but it would have to do.

Laguna's only answer was to hug his found son in one arm, and to beckon Ellone over as well. Their family had drifted apart, lost the the waves of time, but small things had brought them back together, even a new addition.

Takes a deep breath I FINISHED IT! OH my GOD how long I have been working on this chapter! I said I would post this the day after I posted chapter2 and I have worked all night on this! At first I was going to make the background of Raine just a mystery, but I couldn't do it.

Raine talking to Squall when he wasn't really there, or even born yet, comes from me. I see my son and I will just want to talk with him. But I know that in my mind his not there, so I don't talk with him.

I hope every one likes these chapters I have posted in the last two days. I've worked really hard on them. Reviews are much loved


	5. I want to know you

A/N: for everyone who told me of my misspellings, I'M SO SORRY! I just haven't played the game through in ages so I can't always remember how to spell who's name. But I have fixed it! Everyone seems to like my short story so far. But believe me, this story will go on for a good long while. Bara is four and a half now and the story ends when she's in her thirties, poor Laguna, he's going to be so OLD!

**Final Fantasy VIII**

**The Daughter of a Legend**

**Chapter Four:**

**"I Want to Know You"**

"Squall, will you stay with us?" Ellone spoke once she had wiped her tears away, "If only for a couple of days?"

Squall crossed him arms and closed him eyes in thought, _I guess Laguna would want to talk... I would have to talk to Xu and Quisits, let them know of my leave._

"We can do that. I want to keep Rinoa and Bara away from the Garden for a while anyway," Squall said, looking at his sister. _She really was my "sis" at the orphanage._ Squall's thin line of mouth curled into a smile. Which got Ellone to smile to.

Ellone went to look at Laguna but, he had started walking back without much word. He had moved Bara to his front instead of his side. Ellone shook her head and crossed her arms.

"He's always like that around children," Ellone started as the brother and sister began their trip back to the room, "Now what were you talking about when you said you wanted to keep Rinoa and Bara away from Garden," Ellone looked up at Squall, she still couldn't believe how tall he had gotten. Five foot nine inches tall without his boots. He was all of twenty five and his face still held pure youth, through mature since she had found him again eight years ago.

"I'll explain when we're back with everyone... news isn't that great," with it said Squall lapsed into silence.

Ellone began talking of her times when it was just her and Raine back in Whinhilll. There wasn't much that she could remember, most of her memories were when Laguna had shown up.

The door opened automatically when the siblings got near and there was gentle talk inside. Laguna still held Bara in his arms, obviously not wanting to let the girl go.

"She's always been able to see the good in people. And when she was younger, she never cried... not even once," Rinoa explained.

"She looks just like you, Rinoa," Laguna's gentle rumble of a voice had Bara snuggling closer to his chest. Squall smiled to see it.

"I keep telling her that, so does everyone else," Squall said as he sat down next to Rinoa on the couch, "but she still refuses to admit it.'

"She doesn't!" Rinoa argued back, "When she wakes up, you'll see that she has father eyes, you can see a part of her father's soul inside her."

"Yeah, his stubbornness," Ellone commented.

"Thanks for defending me, Sis," Squall said. Then his voice turned serous, "There are more trites of Rinoa in my little rose then meets they eye though."

Rinoa hands tightened and Squall held one in his own, "Do you really want to talk about that here?" Rinoa whispered.

Squall nodded, "When Bara gets old enough, we're putting her through SeeD training," Squall told everyone.

"Why on earth would you want to put this darling child through so much hell. You've been through the training, you know what it's like," Laguna said as he hugged his granddaughter.

"I lived through it. But I don't want... _we_ don't want Bara to live a life of fear. She will know the ways of those who would hunt her, so she can protect herself," Squall looked at the small child in Laguna's arms, "Yesterday, Bara's powers awoke."

Ellone gasped and covered her mouth, and Laguna looked at the parents in wide-eyed shock, "Powers? Are you saying..."

"Bara has inherited my sorceress powers. When we went to the Garden yesterday, I was attacked by seven SeeDs," Laguna and Ellone both turned their complete attention on Rinoa, "Before Squall could come to my rescue, Bara... flew out the window of Squall's office."

"Flew. As in she casted a float on herself right? There's now way that angel could have flown," Ellone stated.

"There was the energy of six wings... pulsing and bright. She had the potential to kill those SeeD... but she started to fall as soon as the energy was forming," Rinoa informed.

"Sorceresses are welcome here in Esthar. We don't fear you, Rinoa," Ellone spoke up, Laguna didn't seem capable to speak, "You are becoming a great sorceress. You will be able to lead us well.

Laguna finally stood, "Well, I think it's time I showed you to a room. You'll be staying here for a few days after all. And my granddaughter..." Laguna paused, he loved saying it, he could only hope that her parents didn't mind, "needs to sleep in a bed and not in the arms of an old man," He started to walk away, mumbling, "I'm too young... I'm only... thirty... no... forty... nine. Forty-nine? When did that happen?"

Ellone watched him leave, then she stood too, "I want o talk more about this but right now," she looked to the door again, "Right now you might want to catch up with him... He'll give Bara her own house and not tell you which one."

Rinoa looked at the slim watch on her wrist, "It's late. I guess it can wait till morning." Rinoa stretched. Time seemed to slow when in Esthar...

Squall had tossed and turned all night. It had to be well past midnight. He'd already made the call to Xu. The arrangements were made. But still his heart and mind where unsettled.

_Too much new information._ Squall thought, _He gave us an awfully large 'room'._ He thoughts continued as he got out a bed. Rinoa gave a soft barley audible sound t the shift of wait on the bed, but continued with her sleep.

Squall found his discarded undershirt on the floor and pulled it over his head. The room Laguna had lead them to was the size of a house. Larger in both space and size of their home in Timber. Four bedrooms, not including the master bedroom that Rinoa and himself were in. A large spacious living room over looking the entire city of Esthar. There were small closets scattered through-out, and an intercom system to communicate across the huge 'Presidential Place'. _More than enough room_ Squall thought.

Squall walked to the large floor to ceiling window of the living room and looked down at the high-tech city. Even at this late hour, the city glowed and shown. From this high up he could not tell if there were many people like there were in the day, but once in a while he would see a small, black figure run along the brightly lit lanes of Esthar.

Sighing, Squall walked away from the beautiful site. He head back to his not intending to sleep, but to pull his scabbard out of the closet.

Little Bara like to roam and he didn't want her to stumble upon the deadly weapon. Even the thought made his heart jump. He would never forgive himself if he were careless enough to leave Lionheart out in the open. Shaking off the image of his small daughter bleeding due to his blade he walked back out of the room and the apartment.

As he neared the dock station of the transport, the seat moved back into place, waiting to transport another. There were many small transports like this throughout the Palace, Squall had learned through the years. This one in particular transport, took you straight to the edge of the city. It was bad in case the President needed to evacuate the city imdeantly.

Someone else was having trouble sleeping this night and Squall had an idea of who it was. It was foolish to turn back now. Having grabbed his jacket and strapped his boots on already, it would have been a waste.

Squall sat on the cushion and strapped Lionheart to his hip. It was a deadly blade. Even in the scabbard there was a faint blue glow. He cut through steal and human alike. It was a side he wasn't happy with, but he knew of no other life without the killing.

_And Bara will learn the art... She will know how to kill. She will know how to do this with perfection. This is to protect her. We'll change her name. She can pick up my... No, she doesn't need that on her shoulders too. If she goes in as Heartilly, they will know she is the daughter of Rinoa. And she will never be excepted. Well we have a while to decide, she needs to be at least ten. Bara is my gift from the Gods... there will be nothing to stop me from keeping her safe._

The lift stopped at the entrance to the city, closed by a heavy door. What good would it do, to have a door here? Squall felt the bit of the cold as soon as the door opened. It was winter in Esthar and, though there wasn't snow on the ground, below freezing. You would have to keep your blood flowing fast if you didn't want to freeze to death.

For the lifts purpose, the first thing an assassin would do would be to cut all power to the entrances, leaving the target trapped in his own cage of security. It was an efficient means to an end. He had even tried it once. Trapping the target in a cage, so the snipper could have a clean shot. But then it had never worked. The target had been a sorceress, and she had blocked the bullet with an easily generated field of magic.

Squall could hear machine gun fire to the west, so he went north. He did not want to have a heart to heart talk with Laguna Loire yet.

_"_Raine called out for Laguna, she wanted him to see his son..." Ellone's words from eight years ago drifted into his mind.

_I guess she did try her hardest. That still doesn't change the fact he never came back. What would have happened if he had? Did he even come to the orphanage when I was there? He had to of. If he was looking for Ellone, I was there too. If he saw me, recognized my face, seen the ring around my neck, would he have brought me back here to Esthar? Did I ever meet him? Damn-it! I can't remember! I was five..._ _It the Guardian Forces,_

There was a Malboro slinking its way towards him. Smiling at the thought of a fight, Squall rushed forward, Lionheart drawn and held in his right hand. Squall brought his gunblade arm to wrap around his front, just a few short meters short of the monster. Squall could hear the monster suck in a breath, readying for a Bad Breath attack. He was faster. With the power of the guardian force Eden Squall sent a Firage spell and a deadly blow from the gunblade into the Malboro.

Withdrawing from the human's attack the Malboro reeled back ten meters or more. The creature began to lash out with its tentacles and every one was cut off the razor edge of the blue blade. Angry now, the malboro rushed Squall throwing him back, far. He was winded, and struggling for air as the monster loomed over him, ready to swallow him whole. Blurry eyed, Squall held out his hand, summoning a flair... Gunshots were heard, too many and too fast to count and the Malboro twisted in it's final moments of life.

"Never go north. The malboros are wild there," Squall's eyes focused and he saw Laguna, machine gun slung over his shoulder, grey streaked hair pulling back most of his hair save a small portion that fell over his right eye. There was a fine layer of sweat on his brow and his breathing and little off from being even.

"Thanks," Squall pushed himself off the ground and slid the Lionheart back into the scabbard. Squall felt a stinging at his shoulder and touched the curve of his neck, there was a sharp sting at his touch. _Damn bastard,_ he thought, remembering the malboro.

"Here, take this," Laguna reached into his pocket and pulled out a potion and handed it to the younger man, "That's a lot different than what you're used to," He started as Squall opened the tiny bottle, "Poor it directly on that scrape and it will pull out any toxins," he gave a low chuckle, "the doctors here seem to think... I can't take care of myself out here, so they leave little things on my desk." Laguna tried to push the hair away from his face as he slung the gun strap over his arm, the hair just fell back into place.

Squall poured a small amount of the yellow potion on the cut. The skin stung and soft sparkles of yellow light spilled from the closing wound. There was even a gentle hum down to his finger tips, "Thank you... Laguna," Squall managed a small smile, something not many saw out of the blue.

Laguna rubbed the back of his neck, looked down at the ground than back at Squall, "Come walk with me," Laguna turned around to and gestured with his right hand to follow.

Squall found it rude to want to turn away, walk further north and to an unknown place. _Biologically, he is my father. That may be what he wants to talk about..._ So he complied, and started walking towards the west, his mind changed from that 'heart-to-heart' talk.

It was a long silence, and neither man spoke. towards the west, the ground itself was beginning to freeze and crunched under their feet. The cold however, was not felt in either man. Their blood was pumping, and generating its own natural heat inside. If anything, the jackets they wore, made it hotter, containing the heat from their bodies and insulating it.

Laguna stopped and rubbed his neck again. His head bowed and then he looked at Squall, who had stopped with him, "You know... Bara really is... too sweet for any of this," it was an easy topic, Laguna decided, for both men, loved the little girl.

"I know she is," Squall crossed his arms and looked to the side, "... ... Rinoa and I... we never thought a sorceress could pass her powers on throw birth. We didn't even know, they could bare children," he stated honestly, "We always thought... we'd have to adopt if we wanted a child.

"Then... Now that we have her. Every time I look at her, I wonder if, she is even mine. Edea told us once, that a sorceress can conger things if she thinks on it long enough. I've thought that maybe-"

"That's nonsense. I know I haven't been around her all the time, not at all until today, but. You have _Raine's _eyes, and Bara has _your _eyes. And... there's... something familiar about her. Almost like... Raine is within her. I always believe somehow, someway, Raine would come back to me," Laguna's face sadden.

Then a faint smile appeared, "I loved your mother. No one in Whinhill liked me. The old men of the village used to ask Raine when was she getting rid of me, and she never answered them. It was like she had no intention of throwing me back into the river were I washed up, ya know?"

It wasn't a question directed at Squall, just a question, "I didn't even realize it until almost a year after I'd gotten to Whinhill. But little Ellone, I'd grown attached to her, I was the only one around to play with her. Then Raine, I'd grown attached to her as well. I knew I had to leave soon, I was better. But... things kept me there. I stayed in Whinhill for... almost four years."

"If you loved Raine so much why didn't you come back? You found Ellone, you could have come back with her," Squall's words were harsh with no soft edge.

"I couldn't. With the situation that happened with Adel, there were assassins after me. I couldn't bring them to Whinhill," Laguna had stopped and was looking into Squall's blue pools, "What would have happened then? They would have wanted to hurt me. They would come after me. Living in the peacefully village, and go through Raine first. My wife. Then her death truly would have been my fault," Laguna's hand gripped the strap of his gun tight, until his nickles turned white, "I would give anything to have stayed by Raine's side... to have raised you, but you can't change time."

_Laying there...feeling her life force drain away, she wished...hoped...prayed that somehow, someway she'd see love one last time. However, she knew it was an empty prayer; fate is too cruel and death too unforgiving to grant her final wish. With each second that passed, a little piece of her heart broke and fell away...one for each tear that stained her young face._

_I would never do that to Rinoa. I didn't do that to Rinoa. I come back to her... every month. She is always welcome in out Garden... until yesterday. _

_Was it only yesterday? It was only yesterday Rinoa was attacked. I ran to save her but, Bara. My blessing, she awoke. If she had been older, stronger, she could have killed those seven SeeDs._

Laguna yawned and covered his mouth with his hand, a white golden ring still encircled his finger. The man wore it in honor of his late wife, and still honored his vows, "Well, Squall. You're a grown man, and I've said what I wanted to tell you, and I can't tell you to go to your room and sleep," Laguna awned again, "I'm going inside." Laguna turned around to headed back inside, "Oh, and if you see a Malboro, just run from it."

Oh my god! This was hard. I'm so sorry there was so much talking. I really am. I hope that no one is too disappointed that you will stop reading. This story hasn't even really started! I hope I described the cold weather well enough. Down in Florida... we don't get snow, so I don't know what it's really like because I've never seen snow in my life (no joke). Anyway, this was another "pain in the ass" chapter to write. I hope everyone liked it.

For anyone who wants to know, I've been watching the music videos my friend made. He's damn funny in some of them, and heart breaking in others. Other entertainment for me would be the music my brother sends me... Justifide, Thousand Foot Krutch, Dogwood, Skillet, Jem, Switchfoot. If anyone has heard of them, I will be in a state of shock. And Switchfoot doesn't count.

It also seems that I always put what I'm going through in all the chapters. Well Squall's restless sleep comes from me.

My shout outs:

Deathsythe: Big Brother, I never thought I could love your writting anymore but I Do I DO! Everyone go back to the last time Squall was thinking of Raine, now if you re-read it, you'll notice it is FAR beyond what I can do. My brother wrote that and 2a.m. and he saved this chapter! Everyone Bow to the writting that is my brother bows herself

MafGoldenHeart-- You're too sweet. I personaly don't like my work... but that comes from reading The Blood Chimera by Peptuck It's really good and he deserves all goodness for his work. I haven't gotten near to the end of the Fic because it's so long (I love Epics). But it's detail is beyond my capabilies... the storyline, remarkable... It's a must read if you don't mind sitting for a long time and just reading. Only 13 chapters and well over 100 pages... I think it's almost 200. And as for Bara liking Lagun so much, I hope I explained it in this chapter.

vilq oui-- I'm glad to know that you think she's sweet. I can't wait to find out what you think later

heartillyangel-- I was hoping to get someone to relate to Squall... in a fatherly sort of way.

Dark Angels-- like I said in the chapter. I see my son, though in no way will I behaving a child soon, and he talks with me. He comes mostly in my dreams and I cry when I wake up... and I'm not older... and my son isn't there. It can be very saddening

hope always-- yes Squall is being a cute father. It comes from my daddy. I love my daddy to PIECES! But at the same time... my dad drives me crazy.

So that's everyone who reviewed to the chapter. Well, I won't see you again until next chapter so Ja Na Minna-san! hugs everyone


	6. Changes of Living

A.N.: Okay... Finally something is going to happen in this chapter. Of my reviews, please let me know if you're a Zell fan because I might write a chapter on him once the story says I can. I'm a huge Zell fan so I can't help it, I love the nut ball! goes back to making a Zell Plushie Oh, and here's the chapter!

**Daughter of a Legend:**

**Chapter Five**

**Changes of Living**

Squall had at most a week off work. He still pondered what it was that kept him here in Esthar. Did he really want to stay so close to the man who was supposed to be his father?

He had to stay, Ellone had asked and Bara. Bara was so attached to him. The first morning when she woke up she had asked to go see Laguna. Squall still frowned at that, but he was confused as to weather it was protective characteristics or if it was a grudge.

"Gil for your thoughts," Rinoa looked up at him. They sat on the balcony of their, Bara's, apartment watching the sun die into the far reaches of the city. She was comfortably in his arms, covered in a blanket, and she wished to be no where else. She looked at him and held up a single gold piece for him.

Squall laughed at her as he took the gold. Yes, she had snick a hand into his pocket to withdraw the gil, but he found it cute none the less, "It's nothing... I'm just thinking of Laguna."

When he spoke Rinoa pressed her ear to his chest. She loved the way his chest rattled when he spoke. How his deep voice seemly came from his chest rather his voice box.

"You mean your _father_?" Rinoa asked as she looked up into his blue eyes again.

"He's not-"

"Squall he's trying! Honestly he is! Laguna knows he can't make up for not being there in the past but, he wants to now. Haven't you seen it in his eyes?"

"Why does he expect me to just... _warm_ up to him all because of one letter? I've read her writing so many times I memorized the way her 'L's curve and how slanted her 'I's are. She wanted Laguna to be there with her, not to die alone. And what about me? Why didn't he ask questions around the village?"

"You know better than that. Something must have happened in Whinhill," Rinoa adjusted in Squall's arms, she was no laying on his lap like she had on the Ragnarok when they were seventeen, "Besides. If Laguna had raised you... you would never have become a SeeD," Rinoa kept it simple, she knew she would have to add 'and you wouldn't have met me'.

Squall sighed, "I guess it's more anger that I was alone as a child... well not alone but... orphaned," he pulled Rinoa close to him, "I'll never do that to you and Bara. You're my world and I can't live without either of you."

"Do you promise? That so long as you're alive you won't leave us? You'll stay by our side and protect us? Squall, you won't break her heart? Because we need you. We are two sorceresses of the Age. Once," she said once and not _if_, "they find out what Bara is... she'll need love..."

"I'd never. Bara will know how to protect herself. Even though SeeDs are begining to wounder their true purpose... I'll be you're Knight. I'll die before either of you are harmed... I'll be the last one to hurt you or Bara..."

Rinoa smiled and leaned up to kiss him, "Good," the touch of her lips was light as wind at first, then slowly she pressed harder.

Their happy moment was ruined by the main door opening. Startled Rinoa would have fallen to the ground but Squall caught her and helped her to stand, seconds before he got his his feet. They walked into the the front-room, his arms draped over her shoulders, and were greeted by Laguna.

He was carrying Bara on his shoulders. Bara's small head rested on the top of her grandfather's, sound asleep. Laguna's large and callused hands held onto her small ones. He was smiling more now than Rinoa or Squall had ever seen him.

"She fell 'sleep on her way back," Laguna's voice was thick with his Galbadian accent, he spoke softly, trying he best not to wake the girl, "Sorry ta barge in on you like this, but I thought she'd sleep better in a bed."

"It's perfectly fine. I just hope she wasn't too much of a distraction," Rinoa said, before Squall could say anything. He wasn't happy that his daughter wanted to spend so much time with the other man.

"Ah," Laguna waved a hand, "She's no bother. There should be more children in Esthar," knowing the apartment thoroughly, Laguna took the small child to her room. Today was the second time in as many days he was able to tuck her in.

As quietly as he could Laguna pulled the blankets up to her chin and folded the edges under her shoulders. Rinoa came in and kissed Bara's cheek and then gestured to Laguna to follow her out of the room.

Having no intention of returning to his office and finish the papers that waited for him, Laguna complied and followed Rinoa to the living room. Squall was scowling in of the black chairs.

"We just wanted to talk to you, Laguna, it shouldn't take too long," Rinoa said, her voice had a musical tone that Laguna thought she got from her mother.

"I'm in no rush, take your time," Laguna took a seat on the stool that rested between both chairs, as Rinoa took the empty one beside Squall.

For a moment there was silence and Rinoa was watching Squall, as if waiting for him to make the first move. Giving up and rolling her eyes in a way that seemed like Raine would, though perhaps she got that from Squall, Rinoa looked at Laguna and then spoke in a firm voice, "It's really about the family, Laguna, all of us. We... umm... we want to try and come here to Esthar more often. Neither of us want Bara to scarcely know you."

"I want to be part of her life too. She's my granddaughter and I love her!" it came out before he could register it, "I know what I did was completely... idiotic in the past, but destiny plays out for a reason right?"

"So it wouldn't be too much to come by more often... so we can know you better two?" Rinoa asked, she gave a quick look to Squall who refused to look at either person.

"No! Come by, come by, please! Use this place whenever you come. There's not much for an old man like me to do except sign papers and attend meetings," Laguna looked around the room he was sitting in, "I doubt these walls have ever heard laughter. Kids here ain't kids, but young adults here," he paused, "like they don't know the meaning of 'play time'. Sometimes I just wanna write a law that says 'Children should have thirteen hours of play, and can sleep when they want for as long as the want, no child is to work but have fun', ya know?"

Rinoa nodded, "Yes, sometimes people are tied too tight," she got up and Laguna did the same, "Thank you, Laguna, for everything," the young women gave him a crushing hug and he returned it.

"It's no problem to me... I have to repay my faeries somehow," he looked at his son, and then said goodnight to them both and left for the night.

Ellone jumped when she heard the high scream of her niece. She got up, her book dropping to the floor as she gracefully walked to her door with speed, thinking something was wrong. A light blue and black body shot by her laughing and screaming at the same time. Smiling Ellone looked down the hall in search of her terrosizer. She laughed and pulled on her best impression of Raine she could. She had waited years to get back at him. As a child, she had run from him in play. Now as adult she could be the stern protector of the child.

Ellone could see in way Laguna came walking down the hall, that he knew just how old he was getting. He was holding his back by pressing the back of one of his hands to the small indentation of his spine. He was gritting his teeth and his pace was slow.

He almost walked into Ellone on his slow paced chase and when he noticed the colorful vision of his daughter he grinned, "H-hi Ellone," the look she was giving him made him feel like a small child. He was fifty-two, there was no call for this!

"Are you terrorizing my niece?" Ellone said, there was moment when Laguna kept his head bowed. But it was only moment as Bara peeked out from her hiding spot and gave a squeal as she ran across the room to hide again. Giving up Ellone stepped aside and Laguna regained his hunt if the small four year old.

Laguna stood with Ellone, Rinoa, Squall and Bara. The five of them giving farewell's. Ellone gave a kiss to her little brother which caused him to smile and gave a tight hug to Rinoa. Rinoa lovingly hug her would be father-in-law and sister-in-law, tears wanting to spill over.

Bara looked at Laguna and hugged him around the knees, "I'll be back soon Grandpa... my friend, he told me I'd come back here, and I would get to stay," the young girl whispered for only Laguna to hear.

"I want you to come back and visit me too, Little Bara, but you live far away. I can't come to see you," Laguna bent down and hugged Bara tightly.

"No Grandpa, my friend says that you and me... we can play until I have to leave, and we can be together forever," Bara whispered again.

"I'll miss you, but you have to go now Bara," Laguna said as he fought with tears.

He looked to the hanger and saw that Squall had gone forward to start the engines while Rinoa stayed behind and waited for Bara. Inside the dark room the thunderous roar of the Ragnarok was heard.

"Go on, sweetheart," Laguna was sniffling now, "Your mom and dad are waiting for you... I'll see you again," with a gentle shove Laguna sent Bara on her way as he held back his tears.

As Bara ran to her mother she heard the voice in her head, _You will see your Grandfather soon. _

"I know G-"

_Do not speak my name unless, you need my help._

"I'm sorry, I know not to say your name friend."

There was smoke, large and black coming from the town of Timber. It spewed high in the sky, "Squall, what's going on!" Rinoa shouted. Long ago the town had been liberated, there were no need for explosions. Shaking his head, Squall accelerated making the Ragnorok go as fast as it could. Bara made a noise that sounded as though she was enjoying the kick that pushed the vehchiel forward.

The Ragnorok landed and the adults rushed to get the child out of the ship. They ran through the city looking for were the explosion had come from. People were panicked, and running in the street. Know one seemed to know what had happened. Squall and Rinoa came to a sudden stop when they reached the street they lived on.

Their house was a roaring ball. Bara was shielding her eyes from her brightness. Some of the neighbors were rushing to poor water on the house with buckets of water. One man had junctioned a guardian force to himself and was casting water spells as fast as he could manage.

"You there! Get away from that house!"

It was the voice of Watts and he ran from behind the smoking house with a shovel in his hand, running after another, in highly recognizable SeeD wear.

Without turning the chased cast a thunder spell. The spell was massive and it stuck Watts. There was a scream as it hit. Watts' body lost its control and he dropped the shovel. The spell died and his body fell to the ground. Rinoa let out a high scream as her friend fell. Watts was gone.

It's load and deafening boom made Bara cry out. Angry eyes peered out of a dark helmet, "I've found them!" it was a harsh voice that Bara ran from.

"BARA! STAY WITH ME!" Squall yelled over the flame, but he was too slow, another had rushed from behind a building, running to his partner. This one too was in the SeeD armor, taller and built stronger than the other.

Squall tried to run for Bara anyway, Rinoa was still too shaken as she looked a the body of her dear friend, but he was stopped by the unbelievable speed of the SeeD who'd taken the life of someone dear.

Squall eyed the katena at the SeeD's hip, as calculated in his head. _He uses a smaller sword than me, so he is faster to strike. Magic. I need a slow. _Squall took to paces backwards, and raised the tip of his fingers to his brow, "SLOW!" the green ball of light zoomed forward and hit his target, if also had the side effect of leaving the other man confused.

The man was looming tall in the eyes of Bara, and she slid to a stop, "GRI-" she tried to say his name, to cry for help, but the offending man grabbed her by the throat. She was not used to being treated roughly and her soft skin didn't know if it was a gentle hold, or bone crusher.

_Call my name!_

'I can't, he's hurting me!' it was even hard to think.

_Cry for your mother, or father... _

"PA-" the grip on her tighten

"Shut-up sorceress, I know your voice will cast a spell on me..." this man's voice was venomous, and the sound made her cry. Who were these people? Why was this one calling her 'sorceress'?

"Let go of my daughter!" Rinoa's voice was menacing... thin wisps of color snaked out from under her hair lacing their way to her eyes, which were an unnatural color. There was a dark aura around her like loosely hanging wings and a shadow ghost of a dog at her side, teeth bared and snarling. _Reflect!_ the spell hit Bara and the small girl glowed pink, "Let her go and I'll make it quick..." Rinoa was advancing forward, trickles of fire and ice reaching up to grab where her foot had been.

Rinoa raised her hand _Melstorm!_ The cement boiled and the grew hot as a thick beam of red hit the offender and her daughter. The both screamed but Bara's died as the spell rebounded and hit Rinoa. She had set up a double bladed attack. As the heat wave bombarded her, the ghostly dog rushed forward, attacking the man in the fire.

Bara fell from her captor, still glowing pink, she had a death grip on the ring around her neck, "I... call you out! Blood holder-" Bara fell unconscious before she could call her friend. The heat was too much, even as it faded.

The man was dead before the spell was done, a bite to the neck from the ghostly dog had made sure of it. Rinoa walked, her legs weak and her shoulders still smoldering, across the burnt ground and picked up her daughter.

She was limp, and her throat was stomach turning blue. Rinoa pulled out a _dispel _and cast in on her daughter, then focused a _cure _on the red area. Blue and green lights flashed from the woman's palm and traced the bruise on the girl's neck. The girl gasped and a few tears fell out of her eyes.

"Hey baby, mama's here," Rinoa smiled.

"What's wrong with your face Mama?" the sound was no louder than a birds wings, as young Bara reached up to trace the lines on Rinoa's face.

"RINOA!" Rinoa turned at the sound of her name and looked at Squall who was sweaty and looking terrified.

"Papa," still weak Bara smiled at her father and reached out with one hand.

Squall ran faster to take her hand. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb and pulled Rinoa's face to him with the other, "I couldn't see either of you in that spell, I thought they did something."

"We're okay, that was me, I attacked that man," Rinoa pointed to the dead body, "I had to kill him, he nearly killed Bara," the thin lines began to disappear and her eyes faded back to their dark brown color. The tears Rinoa had been to scared to shed, too afraid to show weakness, pooled in her eyes and fell in a steady rhythm.

"I knew these men... These were two of the MIA SeeDs I sent after Zell," Squall nudged the helmet of the man who Rinoa took down with the toe of his boots. The visor lifted and he was able to look at the face of the one who wanted his daughter. It was a young face, he was some body's son. Since he went missing Squall had faced this man's parents. The news would be hard, but understandable.

Squall looked back over his shoulder, from near were their home had once stood. The bodies were still there. Their friend, and protector, Watts, clad in his blue suit, and black scorches on his face, lay dead.

Sighing Squall walked over to the man he new best, and picked up his lifeless body. Rinoa was following silently with Bara still clutched closely to her. There was one last look at their home, and Bara mumbled, "Angelo" and then looked forward. The world rising and falling with every step her mother took. Her father carrying the body of man who used to play with her. She knew he was dead, and that to be dead was to be gone forever, but the young child did not know how to act towards this.

"I'm going to take you two back to Esthar. You aren't safe at Garden or here in Timber. I'm going to go back and try to find out what's going on." Squall was locking himself into place in the pilot's seat of the Ragnorok, Rinoa was fastening herself in to the co-poi let's seat. They had just arranged funeral rights for Watts. Squall did not want either Rinoa or Bara anywhere that people knew they'd be.

"Okay," Rinoa was too afraid to speak loudly, afraid that someone else would attack her. She had lost a friend who protected her. Her home was gone. She felt lost.

They didn't speak for the rest of the ride. Bara was behaving as she looked out the window from her father's lap. The rushing and blurring of water to land, land to water mesmerized her. Rinoa was staring blankly ahead of her not speaking.

The ride was shorter than Bara wanted, she loved riding high in the dragon airship. But she knew were she was and she wanted her grandfather. It took her father too long to get her mother out of her seat and down the ramp. And it took the transport to long to take her to the palace. Once the the view of her new home could be seen, she almost jumped off while it was still in motion.

Her grand father was in here, in his office signing papers. She wanted to come back to him, to let him know he could have a family in this sterile city. Bara ran full speed, running by the silent Ward as she went, she got a smile from him that said: _I'm glad. _She continued running, she ran past workers who looked disgusted at her, and other children surprised to see immaturity. She stopped only once when the guards had to open the door to Laguna's office.

"Grandpa! I'm BACK!" running the length of the room she vaulted into her grandfather's arms. He had tears in his eyes, and the little girl didn't know if they were new or old, but he crushed her into a hug.

"I'm home grandpa, and my friend says I can stay for a long, long time."

A/N: OH MY GOD! I can tell already, this school year is going to suck my life from my bones!

This chapter was written with Thousand Foot Krutch's "Lift It" It's a very good song and if you like soft, mellow, but touching songs... I say go out and by it! The CD is call Phenomenon.


	7. Chapter 7

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**I JUST WANT ANYONE WHO STILL WATCHES THIS STORY TO KNOW:**

**THIS IS BEING REWRITTEN FROM CHAPTER 1 AND ON FORWARD. FEAR NOT MY FRIENDS I HAVE SOMEONE WHO I'VE KNOWN LONGER THAN I'VE KNOWN MY ABC's BETAING THIS STORY AS IT GETS WRITTEN SHE'S EVEN BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO DRAW UP THE MAIN CHARACTER WHO WAS ONCE KNOWN AS "BARA" HER NEW NAME IS RYVER... THAT PRONOUNCED "RIVER" SEE HOW CLEVER I AM? YEARS WITHOUT A COMPUTER AND I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO THINK OF A "WATER" RELATED NAME TO GO ALONG WITH SQUALL'S FAMILY NAMES. RAINE, LAGUNA, SQUALL, AND NOT RYVER. I'VE GOTTEN SMARTER IN THESE LAST YEARS :p **

**BUT FEAR NOT, I'VE EVEN GOT AN OUTLINE TO KEEP ME ON TRACK AND THUS KEEP ME WRITING AND NOT PUT THIS STORY ON HOLD. AND THIS TIME I HAVE NOT ONE BUT TWO COMPUTERS SO IF FOR SOME ODD REASON THIS ONE BECOMES USUABLE, I'VE GOT BACK UP. **

**I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT HAVE READ THIS AND FOLLOWED IT. IT MEANS A LOT TO ME. RYVER HAS "LIVED" MORE OR LESS IN MY HEAD FOR YEARS SO HER STORY WILL BE TOLD AND I LOVE HER. AND SHE... MORE OR LESS LOVES ME. SO CONTINUE TO STICK BY ME AND YOU'LL GET A LOVELY STORY WITH A GOOD PLOT AND FUN PLOT TWISTS.**


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